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Old Testament Overview - The Priesthood

Introduction

Israel's priesthood is a picture of the church. As Israel's priests were those who pointed the way for Israel to draw close to God, so we of the church are those who point the way for people to draw near to God today. See Hebrews 10:19-22 The instructions about the selection, consecration, regulations, duties, and support of the Old Testament priesthood, then, can teach us much about how we are to draw near to God today.

Selection: A type of our selection to the Christian priesthood.

The selection of the High Priest and Priests:

1. They were selected from the descendents of Aaron (Exod. 6:18, 20, 28:1)a. Nadab and Abihu—two of Aaron's four sons died before they had any children.b. Eliezar and Ithamar—the remaining two sons bore children and were, therefore, the fathers of the priestly line.

2. All those with physical defects were ineligible for the priesthood. (Lev. 21:17-23) (symbolizes our cleansing through the blood of Christ, I Pet. 1:22-23)

3. The typical meaning: As the Old Testament priests received their office through being born into Aaron's family, so we are the new Testament church receive our priestly office through being spiritually born into Christ's family. (Rev. 1:5-6; I Pet. 2:5, 9-10)

The Consecration of the Aaronic Priesthood: A type of our consecration to the Christian priesthood. (Exod. 29:1-37; Leviticus 8:1-36)

a. Symbolic of the priests being set apart for a divine purpose.b. Typical of Jesus' and our anointing by the Holy Spirit for a divine purpose.(Isa. 61:1-2; Acts 10:38; I Cor. 12:13; II Cor. 2:14-17; Acts 1:8)

4. Aaron's sons clothed. (Exod. 29:8-9; Lev. 8:13)

a. Symbolic of them being purified.b. Typical of our being clothed with Jesus Christ. (Gal. 3:27; Col. 3:10-14)

a. Blood from offering put on the tip of the right ear, thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot of Aaron and his sons. (Exod. 29:20-21; Lev. 8:23-24)(1) Symbolic of the role of the priest in being attentive to God's instructions (ear) and being obedient to carry them out (hand and foot).(2) Typical of Jesus' Christ's obedience to the Father and opportunity to obey the Father through Jesus being in us. (John 5:19, 30, 6:38, 8:28; Rom. 12:12)

b. Special wave offering (Exod. 29:22-26; Lev. 8:26-29) The fat and the right leg portions of the offering were placed in the hands of Aaron and his sons and were waved to and from horizontally.(1) Symbolic of God's reception of the offering and His return of the offering to Moses.(2) Typical of God' reception of Christ's offering and the returning of Christ to us through the Holy Spirit. (John 14:12-26)

c. Blood from the offering and the anointing oil sprinkled on Aaron and his sons. (Exod. 29:21; Lev. 8:30)(1) Symbolic of consecration of Aaron and his sons to service.(2) Typical of Jesus Christ's consecration to service and our consecration to service as His followers.

7. Priestly meal: the remainder of the flesh of the ram of consecration was cooked by Aaron and his sons and eaten by them. (Exod. 29:31-34; Lev. 8:31-32)

a. Symbolic of God's holy provision of their needs.b. Typical of our receiving into ourselves the Spiritual life of Jesus Christ.
(John 6:31-35, 52-59) The seven days of consecration are typical of our need to completely consecrate ourselves to God. Rom. 12:1-2

1. They were not to defile themselves:a. by touching the dead (except one of their immediate family). (Lev. 21:1-6)b. by signs of mourning (Lev. 21:10-12)c. by marriage with a public prostitute or a divorced woman (21:7-9)

2. Priests' daughters who became harlots were to be burned with fire. (Lev. 21:9)

3. Priests who unwittingly became unclean were required to abstain from holy gifts (offerings) until they were legally purified. (Lev. 22:2-7)

4. Voluntary transgression of the Levitical law of cleanliness by priests were punishable by death. (Lev. 22:9)5. The priests washed their hands and feet before entering the tabernacle. (Exod. 30:17—21; 40:30-32)

6. Priests were not allowed to drink wine or strong drink when they were performing their priestly duties in the tabernacle. (Lev. 10:9; Ezekiel 44:21)

The High Priest: The same regulations applied to the High Priest as the Priests, except in the following cases.

1. He was not allowed to marry even a widow. (Lev. 21:13-14)

2. He was not allowed to touch any dead person, even his mother or father, or become involved in mourning for them. (Lev. 21:11-12)